Won't format or start

I've had my playstation 3 for 7 months and a while ago it displayed a message saying that the systems database needed to be restored. i selected ok but an error occurred the rebuilding process. from there another message displayed say the systems hard drive needed to formatted so again i selected ok. i know it takes 5 to 15 hours to format something so i gave it 17 hours and when i checked, it was still at zero percent. so i took it to a local game shop who said they would be able to fix it, 6 days later i went to see if they had made any progress on it only to find that they could not repair. the guy who tried to service it said to call other places and order a new hard drive. i called EVERY place in my area and i've looked online. my first intention was to mail it in to sony so they could repair it but it's no longer under warranty so they won't even accept it.

1 Answer

I had my play for a year and a while ago it displayed a message saying that the systems database needed to be restored too, but i select ok when the error ocurred and send me a message i select ok, it takes 1 or 2 hours but when reboot the play it was ok again. maybe you need if u can format your drive with the option in settings, if u cant maybe u need replace your hard drive u dont lost your garanty for this and u can see a video in "you tube" about how to change your drive

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Ironically this happened to me just the other day. What I ended up doing was a complete reset/format. You will lose some data so I hope you have a back up.

Press and hold the power button until the light on the playstation goes red again. Let off the power button and press again, hold it until you hear two fast beeps.Once you hear the beeps release the button.Plug your controller in via the USB cable.It will now bring you to a recovery menu.

It will give you these options:

estart System:

Restarts the PLAYSTATION®3 System.

Restore Default Settings:

Reset all system settings back to default.

Restore File System:

Checks for corrupt/missing system files.

Rebuild Database:

Rebuilds the OS for the PLAYSTATION®3.

Restore PS3 System:

Fresh restore; Deletes everything and starts from Scratch.

System Update:

Update the PLAYSTATION®3 System

You CAN try restore file system but since you said it froze, it probably won't work again...but you can give it a shot. It didn't work for me. What I ended up having to do was "Restore PS3 System". This will format everything and start from scratch.

Also, another quick fix that you can try would be to pop open the ps3 hard drive case, remove the drive and plug it back in to ensure that it's properly seated.

If none of these work you may have a dead hard drive and it will need to be replaced.

Execute safemode when the PS3™ is experiencing the following symptoms:

When the PS3™ system is started up, the XMB™ menu is not displayed (only the wave screen background appears)

When the PS3™ system is started up, nothing appears on the screen

When the PS3™ system is started up, a message stating [The hard
disk's file system is corrupted and will be restored.] is displayed
> [OK] > Restore operation > Restart
Original message is displayed again or the system stops during restoration.

When the PS3™ system is started up, a message stating [The hard
disk's database will be rebuilt.] is displayed > [OK] > Rebuild
> Failure > System stops while formatting hard disk drive.

The system stops while restarting after a PS3™ system update or
while updating or rebuilding the database. The situation does not
improve even when the system is restarted.

***********************************************************************************Step 1: Turn off the PLAYSTATION 3 by holding the Power button on the front of the unit till the Power light is red.

Step 2:

Touch and hold the Power button, you will hear the first beep, meaning the PLAYSTATION 3 is powering on.

Continue to hold the Power button and after about 5 seconds, you will hear a second beep, indicating the video reset.

Continue to hold the Power button and after about another 5 seconds
you will hear a third beep and the system will power off (Power light
is red).

Step 3:

Touch and hold the Power button, you will hear the first beep, again for the PLAYSTATION 3 to power on.

Continue to hold the Power button and after about 5 seconds, you will hear a second beep for video reset.

Continue to hold the Power button and after about another 5 seconds
you will hear a quick double beep. At that point release the Power
button. If you succeeded in activating SafeMode, you will see a message on the screen saying, "Connect the controller using a USB cable and then press the PS button."
//

Connect a USB cable to the controller and the PLAYSTATION 3 and press the PS button to enter SafeMode.

Then you will see the SafeMode menu.
//

Step 4: We recommending performing the safemode
options in the following order until one of the options works for you.
If one of the options work, do not continue onto the other options.

Restart System - Ends safemode and starts up the PLAYSTATION 3 normally.

Restore Default Settings - Performs the same
operations as [Restore Default Settings] on the XMB™, and also deletes
PlayStation®Network account information from the system.

Restore File System - Attempts to repair all areas
on the hard disk drive where files can be saved. Corrupted data may be
erased if it cannot be recovered.

Rebuild Database - Deletes messages, playlists,
changes made on [Information] screens, trimming information for
pictures in [Photo], video thumbnails, video playback history and video
resume information.
This operation may take a long time depending on the type and number of data items.

Restore PS3 System - IMPORTANT: All data will be lost by performing this step.
This will reformat the hard drive on the PLAYSTATION 3, deleting
all data and restoring it to as if it just came out of the box. This is
the same as [Restore PS3 system] on the XMB.

System Update - Updates the PS3 system software. This can only be done with an update file already saved on an external storage media.

Enter Safe Mode and select "Restore File System". "Restore File System" will attempt to repair damaged files on the hard drive. If this does not work, try the next step.

2. Rebuild Database

Enter Safe Mode and select "Rebuild Data Base". "Rebuild Data Base" will erase messages, playlists, changes made on [Information] screens, trimming information for pictures in [Photo], video thumbnails, video playback history and video resume information. Then attempt to rebuild the PlayStation 3 database. The content that is erased will not be recoverable. If this doesn't work, try the next step.

3. Restore PS3 System

Please note this will erase all content on the hard drive and will not be recoverable.

Enter Safe Mode and select "Restore PS3 System". "Restore PS3 System" will restore the default settings and will format the hard drive. If this doesn't work, try the next step.

4. Re-seat the hard drive

If you have replaced the hard drive in the PlayStation 3, make sure it was installed properly. If the hard drive is not seated correctly, it may cause problems.

5. Try another hard drive (if possible)

There may be an issue with the hard drive that is installed. Try replacing the hard drive with another one.

If the hard drive is hanging on the format the drive table may have just gottten corrupted. This can happen with a computer but the operating system can fix this usually. The link below will take you through connecting the hard drive to your computer and using it to format the drive. If the computer hangs on the format and/or you still have trouble with the drive then there is something wrong with the drive and you will have to replace it.

On the playstation 3 site error code tool says this code is an issue updating the PS3 sytem software. Try to start with the hard drive uninstalled then try again installed. If that dont help i would format the hard drive in a laptop and see if it helps. worst casr scenario you could dissasemble the PS3 and unplug tha battery on the main board and see if that helps. Good Luck

#1 remove the HDD and boot it up without it in, then turn off and put the HDD back in and boot again.

#2 rebuild the file system in the recovery menu

#3 rebuild the database in the recovery menu

To get to the recovery menu you need to press and hold the power button when the ps3 is in standby mode untill you hear a double beep then release. sometimes the ps3 will go back to standby mode before it does the double beep if it does just release the button and press and hold again real fast and wait for double beep.

from the recovery consol you can rebuild the file system and database sometimes when they are corrupted it has same symptoms as a dying HDD.

P.S. rebuilding the file system and database will not lose any of your ps3 data, other options will though like the restore ps3 and format HDD.if the above tricks dont work try updating the firmware, if your at the current firmware you can re-install it from the recovery menu as well using a usb memory stick or a cd with the firmware on it.

if all that doesnt help it looks like its time to get a new HDD, but at least you can upgrade it to a bigger ps3 now. any sata laptop HDD should work. i think a 160gb HDD is only $50ish.

you could try to remove the hard drive then boot up, then put the hard drive back in and boot and see if that helps or you can try to rebuild the file system and database.

To get to ps3 recovery console to rebuild the database or the file system(neither will format the hard drive), when the ps3 is in standby mode(red light) press and hold the power button till you hear a double beep.

Most of the time the double beep comes after the ps3 beeps once then twice then turns red again when red again release and press again real fast and hold,... this time you will here a "beep" then " double beep beep" then you release and you will have the options to rebuild the database or the file system. basicly keep holding power button from standby till you here a double beep, if it shuts down try again, once you get the hang of it its easy.

if rebuild database and file system doesnt work then you may have to choose yes on the reformat option but it will wont hurt the ps3 itself just anything you have saved on it.